1. Field
This application relates generally to wireless communication and more specifically, but not exclusively, to traffic congestion control.
2. Introduction
A wireless communication network may be deployed over a defined geographical area to provide various types of services (e.g., voice, data, multimedia services, etc.) to users within that geographical area. In a typical implementation, access points (e.g., corresponding to different macrocells) are distributed throughout a network to provide wireless connectivity for access terminals (e.g., cell phones) that are operating within the geographical area served by the network.
In practice, user (e.g., user access terminal) distribution and demand for wireless connectivity is typically not uniformly distributed throughout the area served by the network. For example, there may be areas with much higher user density than average, or locations where the data demand from users is above average. These so-called traffic congestion zones (or hot spots) generally require special solutions to maintain a similar type of user experience as the rest of the network. However, it is difficult for network planners to accurately identify the congestion zones since network planners conventionally monitor loading on a macrocell level.